The accused allegedly then told her that the curse could be appeased through a ritual involving a golden snake’s egg and a stone made of gold. The two women allegedly visited the house of Swarnalatha, 70, at Puthenkulam in Kanjany around 1.20pm on August 6. According to police, the women told Swarnalatha that the place where her house stood was affected by a ‘serpent curse’. The accused allegedly then told her that the curse could be appeased through a ritual involving a golden snake’s egg and a stone made of gold. Believing their claims, Swarnalatha allegedly handed over around six-and-a-half sovereigns of gold ornaments.